Human Rights and Hot Coffee

This week, Israel's Supreme Court will hear the appeal of Sheikh Jarrah residents facing eviction. This case has become a lightening rod, attracting the atention of Hamas, Western diplomats, NGOs, and the international media. What is the history of these properties? What are the legal arguments surrounding this case? We spoke with Prof. Avi Bell, Professor of Law at Bar Ilan University and the University of San Diego to better understand the legal issues and processes in question. Notes: Primer on Sheikh Jarrah Property ClaimsSupport the show (https://www.ngo-monitor.org/donate/)

NGO Monitor's new interactive database shows how NGOs falsely labeled Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives as civilian casualties during the May 2021 Gaza conflict. Our report identifies 50 such incidents, and also highlights Gaza residents who were mostly likely killed by Palestinian rockets falling short of their intended targets in Israel. How did we conduct this research? What were some of the most shocking NGO claims? How does this interactive database work? Join our host Yona Schiffmiller and Arabic researcher  Daniel Segal lay out our latest findings.Notes: See No Evil: NGOs Turn Terrorists into Civilians in 2021 Gaza ConflictMissile Attacks from Gaza: Fallacies and Inaccuracies in NGO ReportingGaza 2021: How Can Israel Defend its Citizens?Support the show (https://www.ngo-monitor.org/donate/)

On June 23, NGO Monitor held a webinar, 20 years of Hijacking Human Rights: The lasting Impact of Durban. Prof. Steinberg and Prof. Irwin Cotler held a discussion on the 2001 Durban Conference  where NGOs launched a strategy of isolating Israel through boycotts, legal attacks, and accusation of apartheid. Notes: NGO Monitor Event: 20 Years of Hijacking Human Rights - The Lasting Impact of DurbanSupport the show (https://www.ngo-monitor.org/donate/)

Last week, Israel and the terrorist organizations in Gaza reached a cease fire, ending the last round of fighting in the area.  Now, international focus has turned to rebuilding Gaza and providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians. In this episode, our host Yona Schiffmiller and Prof. Gerald Steinberg discuss how previous aid efforts have been diverted by Hamas to fund its terror activity and recommendations to the international community to help ensure no aid is diverted in the future. Notes: 2021 Gaza ConflictGaza Cease-Fire RecommendationsSupport the show (https://www.ngo-monitor.org/donate/)

Over the past 10 days, Hamas and Islamic Jihad have targeted Israeli civilians with constant rocket barrages, murdering and maiming innocent men, women, and children. In response, Israel has launched an aerial campaign against their strongholds in Gaza, targeting commanders, fighters, and their military infrastructure. Once again NGOs and the international community are accusing Israel of commiting war crimes. In this episode our host Yona Schiffmiller and Legal Advisor Anne Herzberg delve into the specific cases in this round of fighting and assess many of the legal claims made against Israel.Notes:2021 Gaza ConflictIs Assassinating an Islamic Jihad Leader a War Crime?Is this a war crime? Support the show (https://www.ngo-monitor.org/donate/)

Human Rights Watch (HRW) published a 217-page assault that accused Israel of “apartheid.” In this episode NGO Monitor President Prof. Gerald Steinberg delves into the mix of false accusations, invented legal claims, and antisemitic demonization in HRW's report and explains the wider political campaign that began at the 2001 Durban Conference.Notes: HRW’s “Apartheid” Publication: Demonization, BDS, and LawfareNGOs Intensify Apartheid Demonization CampaignHuman Rights Watch demonizes Israel via propaganda of apartheid - opinion From the “River to the Sea”: B’Tselem’s Demonization Crosses the LineSupport the show (https://www.ngo-monitor.org/donate/)

Today we mark Yom Hashoah, honoring the Jewish victims of the Nazi genocide.  Join a discussion with our host Yona Schiffmiller and Vice President Olga Deutsch on contemporary use and abuse of Holocaust remembrance.Notes: Antisemitism: A unique evil that must not be ignoredRecommendations: Implementing the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism for NGO Funding: Antisemitism and NGOsSupport the show (https://www.ngo-monitor.org/donate/)

Last week, the International Criminal Court (ICC), announced it has jurisdiction over "the Situation in Palestine."  How did it arrive at this decision? Will the Prosecutor launch an investigation into Israel following this decision? Join our host Yona Schiffmiller and NGO Monitor Legal Advisor Anne Herzberg discuss the court's announcement. Notes: NGOs Celebrating the ICC’s Decision on Territorial Jurisdiction Over Palestine: https://www.ngo-monitor.org/reports/ngos-iccs-decision-jurisdiction-palestineCalling out the ICC's Baseless Standards: https://www.buzzsprout.com/228986/episodes/3054160Does the ICC have jurisdiction to take Israel to court https://www.buzzsprout.com/228986/episodes/2615722ICC War Crimes Prosecution and PFLP-linked NGOs: https://www.buzzsprout.com/228986/episodes/2349665NGO Monitor's Submission to the ICC: https://www.ngo-monitor.org/submissions/ngo-monitor-submission-to-the-international-criminal-court-icc/  Support the show (https://www.ngo-monitor.org/donate/)

How will US funding to Palestinian NGOs change under President Biden.  What do new committee assignments in Congress portend for US-Israel relations? Join our host Yona Schiffmiller and NGO Monitor Chief of Staff Naftali Balanson as they analyze new trends and developments in Washington.Notes:The NGOs that Wrote McCollum’s Legislation on Children’s Rights Evaluation of the ‘‘Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act’’ (HR 2407)Support the show (https://www.ngo-monitor.org/donate/)

As Israel has lapped the rest of the world in vaccinating its public against COVID-19, NGOs have smeared the country for not similarly vaccinating Palestinians. What- if any- responsibilities does Israel have towards Palestinian healthcare? How do these NGO claims square with international law and signed agreements between Israel and the Palestinians? Join our host Yona Schiffmiller and NGO Monitor Legal Advisor Anne Herzberg as they delve into these questions.Notes:  NGOs and the COVID-19 Vaccine Libel Against Israel Support the show (https://www.ngo-monitor.org/donate/)

Human Rights NGOs were critical of the recent normalization agreements between Israel, UAE, and Bahrain. Why would these groups oppose Middle East peace?  Why is Europe absent from these dramatic diplomatic developments? Join Yona Schiffmiller and Prof. Gerald Steinberg as they take a look at previous peace agreements, NGO responses, and European Middle East policy.Notes:When Peace Threatens the Peace NGO Industryhttps://www.newsweek.com/when-peace-threatens-peace-ngo-industry-opinion-1532695NGOs Against Peace in the Middle Easthttps://www.ngo-monitor.org/ngos-against-peace-in-the-middle-east/ Support the show (https://www.ngo-monitor.org/donate/)

On September 15, a historic ceremony took place at the White House. Israel signed a peace treaty with the UAE and a peace declaration with Bahrain. With the Oslo Accords having been signed 26 years ago, is Israel's normalization with Arab countries a legitimate solution in light of the Palestinian issue? Are we about to enter a new era in the Middle East? Dr. Yossi Beilin and Prof. Gerald Steinberg discuss the implications of these diplomatic breakthroughs on the future of relations between the Palestinians, Israel and the Arab world.Gerald Steinberg is professor emeritus of political science at Bar Ilan University, and founder-president of NGO Monitor. He is a frequent oped writer and an analyst on Middle East issues in the international media. His book, "Menachem Begin and the Israel-Egypt Peace Process: Between Ideology and Political Realism," was published in 2019.Dr. Yossi Beilin is an Israeli politician and scholar who has served in multiple ministerial and leadership positions in the Israeli government. Beilin spent much of his political career in the Labour Party. He also served as chairman of the Meretz-Yachad political party. Beilin is one the architects of the Oslo Accords. Organized by Media Central Jerusalem Sep 15, 2020Support the show (https://www.ngo-monitor.org/donate/)

On July 20, the Dutch government acknowledged funding the salaries of two NGO employees later indicted for the murder of 17-year-old Rina Shnerb. What led to this dramatic turnaround and what does it mean for future government funding to terror-tied groups? Join our host Yona Schiffmiller and senior researcher Shaun Sacks as they explain exactly how it all happened.Notes: Dutch Gov’t Halts Funds to NGO Linked to TerroristsNGO Monitor June 2020 Letter to Foreign Minister Stef Blok Regarding Dutch Funding to UAWCSupport the show (https://www.ngo-monitor.org/donate/)

NGO Monitor recently discovered a grant approved by the Belgian government aimed at "mitigating pro-Israel voices." This is not the first time we've identified government funding to advocacy groups that lobby those same governments.  Join our host Yona Schiffmiller and Senior Researcher Shaun Sacks as they explore this phenomenon. Notes: Belgian NGOs “Mitigate Pro-Israel Voices” with Government SupportSupport the show (https://www.ngo-monitor.org/donate/)

Even during a global pandemic, blind criticism of Israel continues to be the strategy of choice for many NGOs.  NGO Monitor is maintaining  a running digest of absurd NGO statements regarding COVID-19, including comparing Israeli policy to the virus. Join our host Yona Schiffmiller and Managing Editor Becca Wertman as they discuss how far these NGOs have gone to push their message.Notes:Exploiting Coronavirus for anti-Israel Campaigns:https://www.ngo-monitor.org/exploiting-the-coronavirus-for-anti-israel-campaigns/ Human Rights Watch Misses the Mark on COVID-19:https://www.ngo-monitor.org/human-rights-watch-misses-the-mark-on-covid-19/ Support the show (https://www.ngo-monitor.org/donate/)

 A recent news article uncovered a massive conflict of interest at Human Rights Watch. Director Ken Roth solicited money from a human rights violating Saudi businessman. One of the funding conditions was that the funds would not be used to promote gay rights. Listen along as our President Prof. Gerald Steinberg and host Yona Schiffmiller discuss the long list of HRW scandals from Qaddaffi to tainted Saudi money.Notes: HRW Raises Funds in Saudi Arabia by Demonizing Israel:https://www.ngo-monitor.org/reports/focus_hrw_raises_funds_in_saudi_arabia_by_demonizing_israel/Human Rights Watch:https://www.ngo-monitor.org/ngos/human_rights_watch_hrw_/Support the show (https://www.ngo-monitor.org/donate/)

On February 12, the UN published its discriminatory blacklist of companies doing business with Israel. How were the companies on the list chosen? How will this list effect Israeli and Palestinians? Join our host Yona Schiffmiller and UN Expert and Legal Adviser Anne Herzberg as they discuss these questions.Notes:Analysis of the UN's Discriminatory BDS Blacklist:https://www.ngo-monitor.org/key-issues/un-bds-blacklist/analysis-of-the-uns-discriminatory-bds-blacklist/  What is the Blacklist?https://www.ngo-monitor.org/key-issues/un-bds-blacklist/what-is-the-blacklist/  Which NGOs are Involved in the Blacklist:https://www.ngo-monitor.org/key-issues/un-bds-blacklist/which-ngos-are-involved-in-the-creation-of-the-blacklist/  Support the show (https://www.ngo-monitor.org/donate/)

Last week, President Trump released the Deal of the Century, his peace plan between the Israelis and Palestinians.  Is it a realistic plan?  What does Israel's treaty with Egypt teach us about negotiations with the Palestinians?  How have NGOs framed the conflict and initiatives to solve it? Tune in to this week's episode with our host Yona Shiffmiller and NGO Monitor President Prof. Gerald Steinberg. Support the show (https://www.ngo-monitor.org/donate/)

The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court recently announced that she intends to investigate alleged war crimes in the “State of Palestine.” Does she have jurisdiction over alleged crimes in the West Bank and Gaza?  How is she defining the territory of a Palestinian state? Join our host Yona Schiffmiller and Legal Advisor Anne Herzberg as they answer these questions.Notes: Bias in ICC Prosecutor Bensouda’s Meetings and Citationshttps://www.ngo-monitor.org/reports/bias-in-icc-prosecutor-bensoudas-meetings-and-citations/  Human Rights Watch finds another pretext to threaten Israel with ICC prosecutionhttps://www.ngo-monitor.org/human-rights-watch-finds-another-pretext-to-threaten-israel-with-icc-prosecution/  Terror-linked and boycott promoting NGOs behind potential ICC investigation:https://www.ngo-monitor.org/reports/terror-linked-and-boycott-promoting-ngos-behind-potential-icc-investigation/  ICC War Crimes Prosecution and PFLP-linked NGOs  https://www.buzzsprout.com/228986/episodes/2349665-icc-war-crimes-prosecution-and-pflp-linked-ngosSupport the show (https://www.ngo-monitor.org/donate/)

After years of NGO Monitor work, the EU added a new funding clause stating that no European money can be given to terrorists and their allies. Palestinian NGOs are not happy. Tune in to this week's episode where our host Yona Schiffmiller and Naftali Balanson talk about this new clause and the Palestinian response.  Notes: Palestinian NGOs Reject EU’s Anti-terror Funding Requirement:https://www.ngo-monitor.org/reports/palestinian-ngos-reject-eus-anti-terror-funding-requirement/  Current and Former NGO Employees Arrested as Part of PFLP-Terror Cell:https://www.ngo-monitor.org/reports/current-and-former-ngo-employees-arrested-as-part-of-pflp-terror-cell/  NGO Officials Arrested for Murder?https://www.buzzsprout.com/228986/episodes/1809220-ngo-official-arrested-for-murderICC War Crimes Prosecution and PFLP-linked NGOs: https://www.buzzsprout.com/228986/episodes/2349665-icc-war-crimes-prosecution-and-pflp-linked-ngos Norwegian-Funded PNGO Glorifies Terrorism and Condemns Norway https://www.ngo-monitor.org/norwegian-funded-pngo-glorifies-terrorism-condemns-norway/   Support the show (https://www.ngo-monitor.org/donate/)